Now, We See Through a Glass Darkly

In this temporary world, we know in part.

Think about looking through a dark glass, or looking through a glass darkly, and this is how clearly we understand scriptures and the truth.

1 Corinthians 13: 12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known.

The inspired King James 1611 Authorized Version is the infallible Word of God, yet even with this perfect Holy Bible, our understanding is only in part, as we see through a glass darkly.

This explains why there are so many divisions among sincere believers.

The stronger the move of God, the stronger the Devil works to create divisions and counterfeits. This is a frustrating experience for believers who would rather things be simple and easy.

When our temporary existence in the world is over and we are with Jesus in heaven, we will have that simple experience, we will see clearly and fully know as we are known of God.

I think all true believers touched by the infirmities of this fallen world and their flesh are looking forward to this time to come.

The problem that arises is when believers or false believers (God knows) become dogmatic and rigid in their understanding, doctrines, and faith — it is as if they can’t stand looking through this dark glass and humbling themselves to their limitations; rather, they will fight and persecute anyone who doesn’t believe what they do in every single area of faith.

They so desperately want to see through the glass clearly, they allow the Devil to provide a false light upon the glass, making it seem very clear, and generally, only they can see it.

Their sincere faith becomes a zealous dogma that everyone must bow to, in order to be saved. This often happens because they have pride and not humility.

As I study Christian revivals of the past, like the Azusa Street Mission and revival, I notice how zealous believers were and how this often led to great divisions and splits in these movements for seemingly small differences. The closer we get to God, the more prideful people get over the smallest doctrinal differences.

In their zeal, they seem to forget the next verse in this chapter:

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

For instance, is sanctification a one-time work of God, or is it a process that God works in believers as they mature over time?

Well, that small doctrinal question split the already diminished Azusa Street Mission and revival between brothers William H. Durham and William J. Seymour in 1911.

Another instance is when William Seymour went to Los Angeles for the first time in 1906 to pastor a church by invitation, only to be locked out and left homeless because he believed the baptism of the Holy Ghost was evidenced by tongues.

Seems a bit harsh for believers to treat each other this way, yet this is the story of our faithful brethren throughout the 2,000 years since Jesus Christ died for our sins.

Sincere believers, humble men and women, are often caught up in this type of division over seemingly small doctrinal differences. Hey, maybe they were both right in some measure.

I also notice that since television, sports, the internet, and entertainment have become so prominent in modern society, the zealousness of believers has died down significantly. We have become apathetic and indifferent to doctrines and the faith, even which Bibles are inspired or not.

At least the believers of old were zealous, they were hot and not lukewarm. God can work with hot and cold, but the lukewarm He will spew out of His mouth — reject.

Regardless, until our temporary lives here are over and we are in heaven with Jesus, we will see through a glass darkly, we will know in part.

Accepting the Holy Bible means we accept this limitation, rather than trying to fill in the blanks and see everything clearly, so we can be more spiritual and above others.

In our fallen state, we are limited, which means we must depend on God more, we must humble ourselves always in order to grow in grace and truth.

It isn’t easy to accept our limitations and still hold strong convictions, admit we know in part while still having a strong faith, yet it isn’t our faith we have anyway, it is the faith of Jesus. We have faith in the faith of Jesus, as it is explained in the scriptures.

In the world, a person can know everything (at least think they do) and feel good about themselves, that they have perfect clarity on things — even if it is only a shifting illusion in reality.

Without the truth of God, everything is a shifting illusion provided by the false light of Satan. Yet, unbelievers can at least feel they have clarity in their understanding, which makes them feel powerful.

In reality, these powerful feelings are nothing more than prideful illusions that will come crashing down when they die or fail in their selfish pursuits of greatness and control, yet this false perception is a powerful delusion for sure.

In truth, we will never see through the glass clearly in this fallen state, we will never know fully in this world, even if we are sincere believers who dedicate our lives to God and the Holy Bible.

What we can have is hope that one day we will see clearly through the glass and know in full when we are with Jesus in heaven.

For now, we have to humbly accept our limitations, trusting in the faith of Jesus, that He sees clearly and knows everything, thus allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in the Way.

While we can be zealous to know God and draw nigh unto Him with conviction of the truths we can understand, we must remember our limitations in this fallen world.

On a final note, be weary of those who think they see through a glass clearly, who claim to know in full, as it is a sure sign they are being fooled by the Devil through their prideful weakness.